Buttermilk Chess Pie
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking.
A tangy buttermilk custard with a whisper of lemon and vanilla, baked in flaky pastry until the top turns into a thin caramel crust.
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Method
- 1
Make the crust. Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and salt, add iced water until the dough just holds, then chill it for an hour. Roll it out, line the pie dish, crimp the edge and freeze the case for 15 minutes; a cold case keeps its shape in the hot oven.
- 2
Heat the oven. Put a baking tray on the lowest shelf and heat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan). The hot tray gives the base a burst of heat from below.
- 3
Mix the filling. Whisk the sugar, flour, cornmeal and salt together, then whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the melted butter, buttermilk, lemon juice, zest and vanilla until smooth; do not beat hard or the top will be foamy.
- 4
Bake. Set the frozen case on the tray, pour in the filling and bake 10 minutes. Lower the oven to 165 °C (145 °C fan) and bake 40-50 minutes more, until the top is golden and the centre wobbles only slightly and reads 71 °C. Cover the rim with foil if it browns too fast.
- 5
Cool. Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours; the custard finishes setting as it cools. Grate a little nutmeg over before serving at room temperature.
Storage
Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Equipment
- 23 cm pie dish (about 4 cm deep)
- rolling pin
- baking paper and baking beans
- mixing bowls
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- baking tray
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 550 kcal |
| Protein | 8.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 68.7 g |
| of which sugars | 47.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 45.3 g |
| Fat | 27.4 g |
| of which saturates | 16.3 g |
| Fibre | 0.8 g |
| Salt | 0.95 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
